正面 zhèngmiàn front
front; obverse side; right side; positive; direct; open
How to remember 正面: 正 upright + 面 face = front.
Characters
How it is used
- The front/obverse side, or 'positive/direct' - 硬币的正面 (yìngbì de zhèngmiàn) the front of a coin, 正面评价 (zhèngmiàn píngjià) positive assessment, 正面回答 (zhèngmiàn huídá) answer directly.
- Three linked senses: the front face, a positive light, and a head-on/direct approach.
- Contrast 反面 (fǎnmiàn, the reverse/negative side) and 侧面 (cèmiàn, the side/indirectly).
Example sentences
- 我害羞得不敢正面看她的脸。 Wǒ hàixiū de bùgǎn zhèngmiàn kàn tā de liǎn.I was too shy to look her in the face.